commanders, and chamberlains—it was not complete until the sun had set and darkness began. The people, sitting and standing, were gazing toward him, stunned, awaiting the sun, and none of them truly believed it would happen.

While they were in that state, the sun returned, rising from its setting place, and all the people saw it until it reached the dome of the firmament and then stopped.

Then the Ancient of Time called to it, and all the people heard his call and understood his speech. He said: "O rising, illuminating Sun, who am I?"

It answered him with an understandable voice that every person heard and understood: "You are the Ancient of Time (Qadīm al-Zamān), the Lord of every era, the One Powerful over every state. Nothing of what shall be or what was is hidden from You. You are the Lord of the Cycles and the Eras (al-Adwār wa al-Akwār), the Manager of the night and the day. No place is devoid of You, and no affair busies You from another. You are the splitter of the dawn, the Humbler of the tyrants, the Destroyer of the Pharaohs, and the Annihilator of the Caesars. You have manifested Your power in the earth and the heavens and shown Your wisdom in all creatures. You appeared to Your friends and revived them by Your manifestation, and You veiled Your enemies from Your knowledge. You are the Manifest and the Hidden, and You are Knowing of all things; You are the Most High, the Wise."

Then it turned, descending and racing like a piercing meteor, until it set and it grew dark. The people began to discuss what they had seen and witnessed, divided between the acknowledger and the denier, the believer and the liar.

The King returned to his palace and ordered the gathering of the ministers and sages. When they were assembled, he said to them: "What do you see and what do you advise regarding what you saw, witnessed, and heard?"